Erica, what motivates you to want to share your expertise with others, on how to eat healthy - for life?
I became interested in food and nutrition when my mother had cancer. I did a lot of research to help her. In the process, I stumbled upon information that impacted me. It became clear that a lot of the minor medical problems I was experiencing were being caused by my diet. For instance, after years of taking antibiotics for acne, I discovered that wheat sensitivity was the culprit. I wondered why the medical community hadn’t offered me this information. I realized that learning about food and nutrition could benefit not only me, but others as well!
A lot of what we know about what to put in our bodies comes from marketing executives who are just looking to sell a product. They advertise the product as healthy, so we think it must be good for us. That isn’t always the case. I became passionate about talking about food to help people see how easy healthy eating can be. Going through an illness with a family member made me see how vital it is to make health a priority before disease manifests.
What are the most common mistakes people make when they start a new eating program or attempt to make a lifestyle change, when it comes to their approach to food?
People are so often looking for a gimmick. This is best for short term weight loss. Unless you can see yourself committing to a way of eating for the rest of your life, you won’t keep off the weight.
In general, I also think that fat and carbohydrates get a bad rap. They are both essential for health and can be beneficial for weight loss. It comes down to understanding the right types of fat and carbohydrates to eat. That information can be hard to find if you don’t know where to look. As a side note, there is risk for extreme health consequences when severely limiting carbohydrates and fat long term.
A lot of people also get too caught up in calorie counting. A lot of calorie restriction diets have people eating diet pizzas, diet protein bars and diet bread. These foods are not nutritionally dense which will eventually leave the client depleted and hungry. I don’t even have my clients think about calories when they are starting a new food plan. If you change the types of foods you eat, then calories reduction is likely to follow without starvation.
Is gluten...evil?
Gluten on its own isn’t bad. The problem is that most of what we are eating is processed leading to a diet high in processed gluten. This type of diet is a huge experiment. In no other time in history did people go to the store, buy packaged preserved foods and have this compose the majority of their diets.
Gluten is put in almost every packaged food we buy, whether that is boxed rice, TV dinners, canned soups, potato chips, pasta sauce, salad dressing, etc. Gluten doesn’t exist in that kind of prevalence in nature. While only 1% of people are celiac, up to 40% of people have sensitivity to gluten and most of them don’t even know it. For this reason, it is beneficial to cook from scratch as much as possible to avoid an abundance of gluten, especially for children.
What are the biggest misconceptions you feel people have, to a vegan approach to nourishing the body?
I think the biggest misconception is that a vegan diet equals health or that following a vegan diet will automatically lead to weight loss. A vegan diet is very difficult to follow in a way that will be supportive to the body. A lot of people become vegan and their diet is mostly pasta or fake meat and cheese products. Fake meat and cheeses are usually very processed products that have been stripped of any real nutrition. Eating these foods can lead to malnutrition, inflammation and weight gain. Other vegans only eat vegetables leading to a very gaunt, malnourished look.
We need protein to flourish and thrive. A vegetarian/vegan diet is very difficult to properly follow and takes constant attention. You need to really understand the amino acid profile of the foods you are eating. Most vegetables and grains don’t have all the amino acids meat has needed to create protein. You have to combine vegetable proteins to make sure you are getting all the essential amino acids. People often don’t understand what attention to detail a proper vegan diet takes. I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who doesn’t have the time or energy to plan every meal to be nutrient balanced.
I have been a vegetarian for years. I never liked the taste of meat and I have the time and discipline to properly plan my meals. It is the right option for some people, but certainly not everyone.
The food that we market to kids as snack foods are so depleted of nutrients and are so full of sugar. The food industry takes food, strips it down and then pumps vitamins back into it to make it look nutritious to parents. Nutrients coming for real foods are always going to offer way more then these processed, fortified foods.
What this means is that the best snack foods for kids are going to be homemade. A great option is to let kids make their own applesauce. They can pick whatever berries or whatever fruit they want to blend in with the apples. Everything goes into a food processor and they can make a new creation every time. The same goes for a smoothie. You could also get plain, unsweetened yogurt and add lots of fruit. These are foods that are relying on natural sweetness as opposed to lots of added sugar.
Another option is to make your own trail mix. Buy almonds, walnuts raisins, dates, bananas, whatever you want to put in. That will be so much more nourishing than store bought cereal or trail mix. You can make your own baked kale chips. There are so many possibilities.
Of course, there are times when you are in a rush and just need to grab and go. In those situations, I would say read the label. Look for things with lower sugar content. It is an added plus if there is some protein.
Erica...movie or book? Which captivates you the most?
Can I say both? It depends on the book, or the movie or whatever mood I am in. For me, the difference is that in a movie you get to watch a character go through a journey. In a book, because it is so much imagination, you get to put yourself into the character’s shoes and go through the journey yourself.
I’m reading the book Wild right now. The lead character is going through things that are emotionally similar to what I’ve gone through the last couple years of my life, so I can relate. On the other hand, I just saw Woody Allen’s new film Blue Jasmine. That was so different than anything I’ve ever experience but it was captivating. Sometimes I like to just turn my brain off and watch a mindless comedy which is fun too.
Tell us about Erica Mesirov Food Coach, your Facebook and Twitter platforms. What information do you plan to share and what do you hope people learn from visiting and sharing.
People will get an array of information about feeling and looking their best. The information I am sharing represents differing opinions, with the common denominator being health. That means I will includes stories about healthy eating, de-stressing, exercise and fun things like massage and vacation (because doing things for enjoyment is important to health!)
If you could be known for one great thing...what would it be, when it comes to your calling as a Food Coach.
I want to lead people to a positive relationship with foods. Food has really become the enemy. I help my clients lose weight by making them eat, not starve! If my clients can eat, feel good, and understand the foods that should be included in the diet to support a healthy weight, I have done my job.
Today, so many people are not structured enough to manage work, kids, chores and life's demands. At the end of the day, is having a brownie really so terrible? Help us, Food Coach Erica!
I don’t label any foods as being bad. There are just foods that should be eaten more often, and foods that should be eaten less often. A brownie isn’t bad as a once in a while treat, but when you start having a brownie (or a cookie, or potato chips or a piece of cake) every day, then there is a problem. The sugar and the refined carbohydrates are just not good for us.
I would approach this in two ways. If a client said to me that the brownie at the end of the day was very important to them, I would start to look for substitutions that would be satisfying. A first step might be going from the brownie to an organic chocolate sweetened with agave or stevia. This would be a step up because both sweeteners are low glycemic. Then I might alternate one day chocolate, 1 day applesauce or dates or something naturally sweet. This is helping the client develop a taste for more wholesome foods. When you are used to eating a sugary diet, it takes a while to appreciate more subtle sugar. Eventually, the client might be satisfied having fruit in the evening. Having said that, it doesn’t mean you can never ever have a brownie.
On the other hand, you can’t wait until you are starving to eat. That becomes a problem. A lot of times when we are craving sugar, we are actually craving protein. So if you wait until the end of the day to eat, you are completely depleted. That means you are likely to go for a quick sugar fix. It seems to work for about a half hour, but then you crash and feel depleted again. If you are starving, try eating some protein and see how you feel before grabbing something sweet.
What is your favorite breakfast?
Breakfast is such a difficult meal. So much of what we eat in this country is composed of refined carbohydrates and sugar. I’ve been making smoothies in the morning which works well for me. I put in protein powder, berries, almond milk, seeds, and I even sometimes throw in veggies like kale or spinach. It tastes good, is full of nutrients, and the protein gives me great energy for the day without a mid afternoon crash.
What is your favorite snack?
Nuts are such a great snack. I like almonds, walnuts, pistachios and cashews. People watching their weight often stay away from nuts since they are high fat. The fat is what makes them filling. After a handful of potato chips, you just crave more. You can have a handful of nuts and that can keep you until the next meal.
Do you drink coffee? Should we drink coffee?
I do drink coffee though I try to limit it to a few times a week. I love coffee. The reality though is that coffee and caffeine aggravate almost every medical disorder out there. You have to be really careful. Coffee is very acidic for the body which disrupts the body’s natural balance. It also can contribute to digestive disorders, sleep disorders, arthritis and high blood pressure among other things. Even if you are healthy, you want to make sure not to overdo it.
For someone just starting a new eating plan, I’m not going to take coffee away unless there is a pre-existing condition. I would say try to find healthy substitutes for all the sugar and hydrogenated oil from creamer. Also, only drink it in moderation.
Real quick...do you have a pet? And, if so, tell one thing about your little buddy?
I have a dog…a little schnoodle (poodle/schnauzer mix) named Sadie. We adopted her after her first owner got rid of her because she had fleas! She is the best (not that I’m prejudiced or anything). There is nothing like coming home to her doing laps around the sofa because she is so excited to see me. She also gives me perspective when I work with clients because she will eat anything. (garbage, weeds, bugs) I’ve yet to work with a client whose eating habits I have to reign in as much as hers!
Erica, if a person wants to do a purge or a cleanse, do you recommend this approach? What do you advocate, when it comes to dropping excess water weight quickly, or kickstarting a diet. Is this an approach you advocate, in any way?
That is a difficult question because my approach is more of a lifestyle shift rather than a diet. My goal is for clients to lose weight slowly so that they will keep it off. Quick weight loss is often achieved by depleting the body. The benefits will often be reversed once the client starts eating normally. I realize that there are going to be times when a client feels pressure to meet a deadline because of an important life event. I would encourage e them to make sure they are still eating, and focus more on exercise and elimination of sugars and refined foods.
Erica, everyone can use the expertise and guidance of a food coach. What is the message you want mothers and fathers, families, busy executives, teens to know about the goals and philosophy of Erica Mesirov Food Coach?
Gimmicks don’t work for most people. Eating healthy can be satisfying and it isn’t all or nothing. If you eat healthy 80% of the time, you can treat yourself in moderation. Diet is a lifestyle transition. If you slowly change your diet, bringing in more and better foods to replace the bad ones, change becomes easier. This is because you give yourself time to adapt before you turn your diet upside down.
Final thought: Can you share a great dessert?
I can’t take credit for anything as I get most of my recipes online. I posted a link on my Facebook page to a peanut butter cookie recipe that only had 3 ingredients: unsweetened peanut butter, banana and nutmeg. I thought that was just great because you get something that is satisfying, and it is also pretty good for you. I think that is just such a great example of how you can make nutritious variations of traditional comfort food.
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